During a press conference in the Philippines, Mr Hagel said the Obama administration would continue to consult with their allies, including Britain, over ways to combat the Syrian regime's alleged use of chemical weapons on its own people last week.

"The British have been very strong in condemning the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons and that vote in the parliament doesn't change that. And that's a very significant position for any nation to take publicly," he said.

Mr Hagel added that Washington would continue to seek an "international coalition" that will act together to respond to alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.

The Syrian government has denied responsibility for the attacks on August 21 in which more than 1,000 people are reported to have died. President Bashar Al-Assad has blamed the deployment of poisonous gas on the opposition, saying they staged the attack to frame the regime.